7 Tips for Staying Motivated in Your Creative Business

This post was originally published on September 7th, 2016. It was updated on January 15th, 2018.

Do you ever have those times where you just feel unmotivated when it comes to your business? And then you start feeling bad because it seems like everyone around you is hustling away? You aren’t alone. Staying motivated in your creative business can be hard sometimes.

There are many reasons you might be feeling this way. You could be going through a slump and feeling uninspired to tackle that mile-long to-do list that’s leaving you feeling overwhelmed. Or perhaps you’re feeling discouraged because you aren’t seeing results as quickly as you’d like. No matter what it is, you can get your motivation back.

7 Tips for Staying Motivated in Your Creative Business

It’s important to first establish if there’s a particular reason why you’re feeling unmotivated. Once you know what the root cause is, you can address it more effectively and prevent it from cropping up time and time again. To help you out, here are a few tips on how you can get your groove back and stay motivated and inspired within your business:

1. Set Realistic Goals

While it’s great to dream big, you also need to set realistic goals you believe you can achieve. If you set these massive goals for yourself and don’t create a plan to help you get there and you just can’t believe they’ll ever happen, you’re setting yourself up for failure. One key to staying motivated in your creative business is to set realistic goals you truly believe you can make happen and that provide you with some sort of motivation to move forward. Then, follow that up by creating a plan to help you get there.

2. Create a Morning Routine and Stick to It

When working from home, it can often be hard to stay focused and avoid all of the distractions that come up throughout the day. And when you’re running a business, you never know what might pop up at the last minute. Because your days can sometimes be a little unexpected, it’s good to have some sort of structure in your day. A great way to do that is by committing to a morning routine.

Having a set morning routine will ensure your day starts off on the right foot and you’re left feeling ready to tackle your tasks. It’ll make a major difference when it comes to staying motivated in your creative business. You just have to create a morning routine that works for you.
Ask yourself what the perfect morning looks like. Do you just crave some alone time to sit down and eat a proper breakfast? Make time for that. Do you want to start your day with an invigorating yoga session? Do it. Whatever your perfect morning looks like, make time for it each and every day. When you have a great start to the day, you’re sure to feel more motivated.

3. Incorporate Meditations Into Your Day

While it may seem a little “woo woo” to some of you, I can honestly say that daily meditation makes a huge difference in my motivation and productivity levels. Meditation is a great way to relax, clear your mind, and prepare yourself for the day ahead. It’s truly life-changing when you get the hang of regular meditation because it can do wonders to shift your mindset to one that’s more positive.

4. Reward Yourself

When you have a long list of things to do, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. You’re left wondering where you should start and you begin to stress over how you’ll get everything done. To give yourself an extra boost of inspiration to make things happen, give yourself a reward for hitting milestones.

For example, you could treat yourself to a night of Netflix if you check everything off your to-do list for the day. (After all, you deserve it for working so hard!) If you’re having trouble focusing on writing your blog posts, choose a reward that will push you to get them done. It’s a simple, yet effective, way to ensure you’re staying motivated in your creative business.

5. Connect With Other Creative Business Owners

Do you ever feel alone in your business? Do your friends and family have a hard time understanding what you’re going through because they aren’t business owners themselves? When you have someone who does understand what it’s like, it makes it easier to get through day by day. Find someone who can hold you accountable and encourage you when things get tough. It’s sure to give you that swift kick in the butt you need to accomplish big things!

6. Make Sure You’re Taking Care of Yourself

If your lack of motivation is stemming from a bad case of burnout, ask yourself if you’re taking enough time to rest. The truth is, we just can’t hustle all the time. It’s not realistic. You need to take breaks and make time for just you. So, if this is what’s causing your lack of motivation, schedule in some time to do what you enjoy. Close your inbox. Turn off your social media notifications. And just relax! Unwind without even thinking about your business. Time off and a little rest will do you some good. When you return to your desk, you’ll be feeling motivated and ready to go.

7. Remind Yourself of Your Why

Whenever you have a hard time staying motivated in your creative business, stop to think about your why. Why do you do what you do? Why did you build this business? Your answer to those questions should be enough fuel to get you going again. You might even think back to your last day job. If it was a bad experience for you, think about why you left and how good it felt to walk out of there on your last day, feeling free as a bird.

For me, I chose to pursue my business so I would no longer dread going to work every single week day. And when I think of that, it gives me enough encouragement to keep going, to work hard, and to continue dreaming big.

What are your tips for staying motivated in your creative business? Share them in the comments!

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Meet Rachel

I'm Rachel. After blogging for nearly 10 years, I've learned what it takes to create a successful online presence. Now, I help creatives like you build blogs and businesses they love so they can do work that's fulfilling. Read More